The Glory of the River Chitrapatha

Verse 1 (skanda.7.140.1)

ततो गच्छेन्महादेवि नदीं चित्रपथां ततः। ब्रह्मकुण्डसमीपस्थां चित्रादित्यस्य मध्यतः

tato gacchenmahādevi nadīṁ citrapathāṁ tataḥ| brahmakuṇḍasamīpasthāṁ citrādityasya madhyataḥ

Then, O great Goddess, one should proceed thence to the river named Chitrapatha, situated near Brahma-kunda, between it and Chitraditya.

Verse 2 (skanda.7.140.2)

यदा च चित्रः संनीतो यमदूतैः सुरप्रिये। सशरीरो महाप्राज्ञो यमादेशपरायणैः

yadā ca citraḥ saṁnīto yamadūtaiḥ surapriye| saśarīro mahāprājño yamādeśaparāyaṇaiḥ

When Chitra, of great wisdom, was carried off bodily, O beloved of the gods, by the messengers of Yama who were intent on his command,

Verse 3 (skanda.7.140.3)

एवं ज्ञात्वा तु तत्रस्था भगिनी तस्य दुःखिता। चित्रा नदी ततो भूत्वा स्वसा तस्य महात्मनः

evaṁ jñātvā tu tatrasthā bhaginī tasya duḥkhitā| citrā nadī tato bhūtvā svasā tasya mahātmanaḥ

Knowing this, his sister, who was present there, became sorrowful; then the sister of that great-souled one became the river Chitra,

Verse 4 (skanda.7.140.4)

प्रविष्टा सागरे देवि अन्वेषन्ती च बांधवम्। ततश्चित्रपथानाम तस्याश्चक्रुर्द्विजातयः

praviṣṭā sāgare devi anveṣantī ca bāṁdhavam| tataścitrapathānāma tasyāścakrurdvijātayaḥ

and, O Devi, seeking her kinsman, entered the ocean; then the twice-born gave her the name Chitrapatha.

Verse 5 (skanda.7.140.5)

एवं तत्र समुत्पन्ना सा नदी वरवर्णिनि

evaṁ tatra samutpannā sā nadī varavarṇini

Thus, O fair-complexioned one, did that river come into being there.

Verse 6 (skanda.7.140.6)

तस्यां स्नात्वा नरो यस्तु चित्रादित्यं प्रपश्यति। स याति परमं स्थानं यत्र देवो दिवाकरः

tasyāṁ snātvā naro yastu citrādityaṁ prapaśyati| sa yāti paramaṁ sthānaṁ yatra devo divākaraḥ

Whatever man, having bathed in it, beholds Chitraditya, goes to that supreme abode where the god Divakara dwells.

Verse 7 (skanda.7.140.7)

अस्मिन्कलियुगे देवि अंतर्धानं गता नदी। प्रावृट्काले च दृश्येत दुर्लभं तत्र दर्शनम्

asminkaliyuge devi aṁtardhānaṁ gatā nadī| prāvṛṭkāle ca dṛśyeta durlabhaṁ tatra darśanam

In this Kali age, O Devi, the river has become hidden; it may be seen only in the season of the rains, and its sight there is hard to obtain.

Verse 8 (skanda.7.140.8)

स्नानं दानं विशेषेण सर्वपातकनाशनम्

snānaṁ dānaṁ viśeṣeṇa sarvapātakanāśanam

Bathing and giving of gifts there especially destroy all sins.

Verse 9 (skanda.7.140.9)

भुक्तो वाप्यथवाऽभुक्तो रात्रौ वा यदि वा दिवा। पर्वकालेऽथवाऽकाले पवित्रोऽप्यथवाऽशुचिः

bhukto vāpyathavā'bhukto rātrau vā yadi vā divā| parvakāle'thavā'kāle pavitro'pyathavā'śuciḥ

Whether one has eaten or not, whether by night or by day, whether at a festival time or an ordinary time, whether pure or impure—

Verse 10 (skanda.7.140.10)

यदैव दृश्यते तत्र नदी चित्रपथा प्रिये। प्रमाणं दर्शनं तस्या न कालस्तत्र कारणम्

yadaiva dṛśyate tatra nadī citrapathā priye| pramāṇaṁ darśanaṁ tasyā na kālastatra kāraṇam

whenever the river Chitrapatha is seen there, O beloved, the sight of her alone is the authority; time is not the determining cause there.

Verse 11 (skanda.7.140.11)

दृष्ट्वा नदीं महादेवि पितरः स्वर्गसंस्थिताः। गायंति तत्र सामानि नृत्यन्ति च हसंति च

dṛṣṭvā nadīṁ mahādevi pitaraḥ svargasaṁsthitāḥ| gāyaṁti tatra sāmāni nṛtyanti ca hasaṁti ca

Beholding the river, O great Goddess, the ancestors dwelling in heaven sing the Sama chants there, and dance, and laugh,

Verse 12 (skanda.7.140.12)

अस्माकं वंशजः कश्चिच्छ्राद्धमत्र करिष्यति। यावत्कल्पं तथाऽस्माकं प्रीतिमुत्पादयिष्यति

asmākaṁ vaṁśajaḥ kaścicchrāddhamatra kariṣyati| yāvatkalpaṁ tathā'smākaṁ prītimutpādayiṣyati

[thinking:] 'Someone born in our lineage will perform a shraddha here, and thus, for a whole kalpa, will give us joy.'

Verse 13 (skanda.7.140.13)

एवं ज्ञात्वा नरस्तत्र स्नानं श्राद्धं च कारयेत्। सर्वपापविनाशार्थं पितॄणां प्रीतये तथा

evaṁ jñātvā narastatra snānaṁ śrāddhaṁ ca kārayet| sarvapāpavināśārthaṁ pitṝṇāṁ prītaye tathā

Knowing this, a man should perform bathing and shraddha there, for the destruction of all sins and likewise for the satisfaction of the ancestors.

Verse 14 (skanda.7.140.14)

इत्येतत्कथितं देवि यथा चित्रपथा नदी। प्रभासक्षेत्रमासाद्य संस्थिता पापनाशिनी

ityetatkathitaṁ devi yathā citrapathā nadī| prabhāsakṣetramāsādya saṁsthitā pāpanāśinī

Thus, O Devi, has it been told how the river Chitrapatha, having reached the field of Prabhasa, stands there as a destroyer of sin.